Sleeping garment

ABSTRACT

A sleeping garment of the nightgown type having a body with an open lower end and being sufficiently long to extend below the feet of the wearer, in which a hem is disposed around the bottom of the body with a channel therein for a drawstring for closing the bottom of the garment to enclose the feet of the wearer. A means is provided for holding the bottom of the garment above the feet when the wearer is standing and walking. The means may consist of a loop along the side of the garment for receiving the ends of the drawstring or may be a second drawstring adapted to pull the lower end of the garment upwardly when the first drawstring is untied.

United States Patent [191 Muehlberg et al.

[ SLEEPING GARMENT [76] Inventors: John R. Muehlberg; Harriet W. Muehlberg, both of 137 Parker Ave., Elkhart, Ind. 46514 [22] Filed: June 29, 1973 [21] Appl. No; 375,057

[451 May 28, 1974 Primary Examiner-H. Hampton Hunter Attorney, Agent, or Firm'Hobbs & Green 57 L ABSTRACT A sleeping garment oi the nightgown type having a body with an open lower end and being sufficiently long to extend below the feet of the wearer, in which a hem is disposed around the bottom of the body with a channel therein for a drawstring for closing the bottom of the garment to enclose the feet of the wearer, A means is provided for holding the bottom of the gar ment above the feet when the wearer is standing and walking. The means may consist of a loop along the side of the garment for receiving the ends of the drawstring or may be a second drawstring adapted to pull the lower end of the garment upwardly when the first drawstring is untied.

9 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures 1 SLEEPING GARMENT The conventional nightgown used by adults is slipped over the upper part of the body and usually hangs downwardly to the point where the lower edge is between the ankle and the knees. With this type of garment, the feet and the lower part of the legs are exposed and unprotected except for the bed covering or separate socks on the feet. With infants, this inadequacy of the nightgown is overcome by making the garment sufficiently long that it will extend below the feet and completely cover the lower part of the body. In order to prevent the garment from slipping up above the feet, the lower end is sometimes closed by a drawstring or snaps which effectively keep the garment over the feet. In the past, notwithstanding the advantages of this type of garment in effectively keeping the wearer warm while in bed, this type of design has not been practical for adults, since the extra length of the garment required to cover the lower part of the legs and the feet prevents or interferes with walking by the wearer upon arising. It is therefore one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide adult sleeping garments of the nightgown type of a length sufficiently long to cover the feet of the wearer, which is provided with a drawstring or other suitable closing means for closing the garment over or around the feet for warmth and comfort, and which is so constructed and designed that it will not interfere with walking by the wearer upon arising.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sleeping garment of the nightgown type which can be closed over and around the feet of the wearer with the use of a drawstring, and the lower edge of which may be held above the feet by the drawstring so that the wearer is free to walk without interference from the garment.

Still another object is to provide a sleeping garment of the aforesaid type which can easily be manipulated by the wearer to close the bottom when retiring, and readily opened upon rising, and which can be easily secured in a raised position to permit free movement of the feet.

A further object is to provide a sleeping garment design and construction which gives maximum warmth without interfering with walking, which is relatively simple in construction, and which can be incorporated in nightgown typc sleeping garments of various designs and patterns.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of one embodiment of the present sleeping garment;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the garment shown in FIG. 1, the section being taken on line 2 2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the garment shown in FIG. 1 is used when the wearer is standing or walking;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the wearer closes the bottom of the garment preparatory to retiring;

F IG. 5 is a front elevational view of a modified form of a garment embodying the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the garment shown in FIG. 5, the section being taken on line 6 6 of the latter figure;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the garment shown in FIG. 5, the section being taken on line 7 7 of said figure;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the garment is raised to permit the wearer to stand and walk without interference from the garment; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the garment is closed preparatory to retiring.

Referring more specifically to the embodiment of the present sleeping garment illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, numeral 10 indicates generally a garment of the nightgown type having body 12, collar 14, arms 16 and 18 and a lower border 20. The garment may be made of any suitable material; however, since the garment is primarily intended for use in cold weather, flannel or the like, would be the most logical material for such a garment. The upper portion of the body, the collar and the two sleeves, are considered conventional for the purpose of the present description, and may be of various designs, shapes and sizes.

The lower margin 20 is doubled back on itself to form a hem 22 which is sewed around the garment by thread at numerals 24 and 26 to form a channel 28 for drawstring 30. The drawstring extends completely around the lower margin of the garment and the ends 32 and 34 thereof extend outwardly through an opening 36 in the margin. After the wearer has put on the garment, the lower end is closed by merely pulling the drawstring in the manner illustrated in FIG. 4, thus pulling the lower edge of the garment inwardly to close the garment as illustrated at numeral 38. The drawstring may be tied; however, this is normally not necessary, since there is sufficient resistance that movement of the feet in the garment will nonnally not open up the lower end of the garment. After the bottom of the garment is closed in the foregoing manner, the wearer then may sleep in the normal manner with the legs and feet fully enclosed in the garment.

When the wearer arises, the closed portion 38 can be readily pulled open by pulling on the edges of the bottom of the garment, thus pulling the ends of the drawstring inwardly until the bottom is fully opened. After the bottom has been opened to its original position as illustrated in FIG. 1, the lower end of the garment is raised to a position above the ankles and held there by inserting one or both of the ends 32 or 34 of the drawstring in a loop 40 on the side of the garment, and tying the ends together or to the loop, to hold the bottom of the garment in its raised position as illustrated in FIG. 3. With the garment in this position, the wearer can stand and walk freely without interference from the garment. The garment can be removed and again put on without removing the ends of the drawstring from loop 40. When the wearer again retires, the drawstring is untied and the opening pulled to closed position by the drawstring as illustrated in FIG. 4. With the drawstring tied in loop 40, if desired, the garment can be worn as any other nightgown for sleeping purposes.

In the embodiment of the garment illustrated in FIG. 5, wherein like numerals are used for like parts as those shown in FIG. 1, the drawstring 30 is used in the same manner with the ends 32 and 34 thereof extending outwardly through openings 36. In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the ends of the drawstring 30 are not utilized in the same manner, as in FIG. 1, to hold the lower end of the garment in its raised position. In the modified form, strings or cords 50 and 52 are threaded in pockets or channels 54 and 56 formed by a strip of material 58 sewed at seams 60, 62 and 64 to the front 66 of the garment. The lower ends 68 of the two cords 50 and 52 are secured to the lower end of the garment, and the upper ends of the cords extend outwardly through openings 70 and 70' in the front of the garment.

When the garment shown in FIG. is to be used for sleeping purposes, it is closed by pulling the ends of drawstring 30 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 9, until the bottom of the garment is puckered and closed, where it will normally remain until it is intentionally opened by pulling the lower edge of the garment outwardly. outwargy. After the garment has been opened, the bottom is raised to a position preferably above the ankles, by cords 50 and 52 upwardly in pockets 56 and 58 to raise the front and the lower edge of the garment in the manner illustrated in FIG. 8. The two cords then may be tied to retain the lower edge of the garment in its raised position. The garment will stay in this shape until the cords are untied and the bottom permitted to return to its lowered and extended position. The ga'rment can then be used by closing the bottom as previously described herein, or it may be used in its raised position as illustrated in FIG. 8 for any purpose, including sleeping.

One of the particular advantages of the present garment is the fact that it provides extra comfort and warmth to the wearer while not interfering with standing and walking when the wearer rises, and in both embodiments, the wearer can use the garment in the raised position for sleeping purposes if the temperature is such that the extra protection offered by the longer garment is not required.

While only two embodiments of the present sleeping garment have been described in detail herein, various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the sceope of the invention.

1 claim:

1. A sleeping garment comprising a body having an expandable and contractable open lower end and being sufficiently long to extend below the feet of the wearer, a hem around the bottom forming a channel having an opening, a drawstring disposed in said channel around the bottom of the body and extending outwardly through said opening for closing the bottom of the garment to enclose the feet, and a means on said body above the bottom thereof in reach of and operable by the wearer for holding the bottom of the garment above the feet of the wearer when said lower end is in expanded position.

2. A sleeping garment as defined in claim 1 in which said means on said body above the bottom thereof for securing said drawstring for holding the bottom of the garment above the feet of the wearer consists of a loop secured to the external surface of the body.

3. A sleeping garment as defined in claim 2 in which said loop is secured to said body along the side thereof in the area near the waist of the wearer.

4. A sleeping garment as defined in claim 1 in which both ends of said drawstring extend through an opening in the hem and are adapted to be tied to said securing means for holding the bottom of the garment above the feet of the wearer,

5. A sleeping garment as defined in claim 2 in which both ends of said drawstring extend through an opening in the hem and are adapted to be tied to said loop.

6. A sleeping garment as defined in claim 1 in which said means on said body for holding the bottom of the garment above the feet of the wearer consists of a channel extending upwardly from said hem and a drawstring in said second mentioned channel for lifting the lower edge of the garment.

7. A sleeping garment as defined in claim 6 in which said means includes two channels extending upwardly from said bottom and a drawstring means extends through said two channels and outwardly through an opening at the top thereof where the ends of the drawstring means may be tied for holding the bottom of the garment above the feet of the wearer.

8. A sleeping garment as defined in claim 1 of the nightgown type in which the body is essentially straight and the open lower end extends the full cross sectional width of the bottom of the body.

9. A sleeping garment as defined in claim 8 in which there are two holes through the hem connected to the channel therein and the ends of the drawstring extend outwardly through the holes for tying when the bottom of the garment is closed. 

1. A sleeping garment comprising a body having an expandable and contractable open lower end and being sufficiently long to extend below the feet of the wearer, a hem around the bottom forming a channel having an opening, a drawstring disposed in said channel around the bottom of the body and extending outwardly through said opening for closing the bottom of the garment to enclose the feet, and a means on said body above the bottom thereof in reach of and operable by the wearer for holding the bottom of the garment above the feet of the wearer when said lower end is in expanded position.
 2. A sleeping garment as defined in claim 1 in which said means on said body above the bottom thereof for securing said drawstring for holding the bottom of the garment above the feet of the wearer consists of a loop secured to the external surface of the body.
 3. A sleeping garment as defined in claim 2 in which said loop is secured to said body along the side thereof in the area near the waist of the wearer.
 4. A sleeping garment as defined in claim 1 in which both ends of said drawstring extend through an opening in the hem and are adapted to be tied to said securing means for holding the bottom of the garment above the feet of the wearer.
 5. A sleeping garment as defined in claim 2 in which both ends of said drawstring extend through an opening in the hem and are adapted to be tied to said loop.
 6. A sleeping garment as defined in claim 1 in which said means on said body for holding the bottom of the garment above the feet of the wearer consists of a channel extending upwardly from said hem and a drawstring in said second mentioned channel for lifting the lower edge of the garment.
 7. A sleeping garment as defined in claim 6 in which said means includes two channels extending upwardly from said bottom and a drawstring means extends through said two channels and outwardly through an opening at the top thereof where the ends of the drawstring means may be tied for holding the bottom of the garment above the feet of the wearer.
 8. A sleeping garment as defined in claim 1 of the nightgown type in which the body is essentially straight and the open lower end extends the full cross sectional width of the bottom of the body.
 9. A sleeping garment as defined in claim 8 in which there are two holes through the hem connected to the channel therein and the ends of the drawstring extend outwardly through the holes for tying when the bottom of the garment is closed. 